Casket



1,637,271 July 26, 1927 A, H. NIEMEYER GASKET Filed April 25. 1925 'QQ kn Q-7 49 m 40 24 f/gj i@ /57 MQ] m @i r@ 35 "Q35 0 @Q 41 36 31 29 /5 14l mensa' .my 26,1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

n. imnmxiin, oir cincneo, rumors Lppllltlol llell April 83, 1303. Seriallo. 106,152.

This invention relates to certain .novelr 4Ll and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing illustrating the preferred form of construction l and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the body receivin box embodied in theinvention illustratm the same removed from the casket she Fig.. 2 is asectional detail view of the body receiving box taken substantially online 2-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the body receiving box confined in thecasket shell.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on.line 3-3 of o accomplish the various objects of the invention I rovide acasket shell 1() includin side wa 11, end walls l2 and 12 and' a ttomwall 13. Theb casket shell10 includes a cover 14 comprising sectionalparts 15 and 16. These sectional parts are secured to one of the sidewalls 11 in a manner well known in the artl and are preferably covered lby a suitable fabric covering alsoin a manner well known in the art.

The end wall 12 and the side walls-11 have recesses 17 formed in theirtop edge portions as best illustrated in Fig. 2, for reasons hereinafterunderstood.

At this point I wish it to be understood that theshape of the casketshell, as well v as the construction thereof is immaterial so u far asthe it will be ereinafter understood that the invention can beassociated with'casket shells of various sizes and shies without departing from the spirit of` e invention.

resent invention is concerned asl Confined in the casket shell, Fig. 2,is a bod receiving box which includes metallic wal portions 18 and 19defining the body receiving compartment 20. The wall portions 18 and 18at the head portion of the body receiving box extend upwardly above thewall portion 19 deiinin together with adjacent portions of the cas etshell a compartment 21 for reasons hereinafter understood.V The wallportions 18 and 19 are reinforcedby reinforcing stri s 22 secured t0these wall portions by suta le securing elements 23. Iii distending thewall portions in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing it isintended that where the ady jacent edges of the wall portions meet thatthese edges be sealed together for the purpose of providing an air tightbody receiving box. The sealin of these adjacent edges can be accomplised by any one of the known methods in the art.

The upwardly extending portions 19 of the wall portions 18 and 18 definea. rectangular opening 24 which ermits observation of the interior ofthe ead portion `of the body receiving box. The to edge portions ofthewall portions 18 and 18 define seats 25 disposed outwardly from theouter surface of these wall portions. Certain wall portions definingthese seats are confined in the recesses 17 herein mentioned.

Positioned upon these supporting seats 25 is a rectangularly shapedrubber gasket 26 sealed to the supportm seats 25 through the medium of ala er o white lead 27, Fig. 2. Above this rub r gasket is arranged aglass sheet 28 which closes the openin 24 and arranged adjacent theperipheral e ges of this glass sheet is a second rectangularly shapedrubber gasket 29, Fig. 2. This rub ber gasket 29 is disposed between theglass sheet 28 and inwardly turned flanges 30 of a cap ring 31, as bestillustrated in Fig. 2. This cap ring 31 includes depending flanges 32which are disposed adjacent the outer surfaces 33 of the wall portions34 defining the seats 25.

The cap ring 31 is secured in position, to compress the rubber asketswith the peripheral edges of the g ass sheet therebetween through themedium of a shaped clamping bolts 35 o any approved construction. Theseclamping bolts 35 have plurality of U- end portions 36 which engagebeneath the wall portions 33 defining the seats 25. The adjustable bolts37 of these clampin bolts have their head portions 38 dispose upon thcinwardly turned flanges 30. By adjusting these bolts 37 in a certaindirection the cap ring will be forced down upon the gasket 22 andeffectively seal the glass sheet between itself and the seats therebyproviding an air tight frame for the glass sheet 28.

From the description herein it will be apparent that the constructionprovides an air tight body receiving box for a casket shell whereby theglass sheet permits 'an unobstructed view of the head portion of thebody (not shown) confined in the body receiving box.

In order to preserve the body (not shown) confined in the body receivingbox, to prevent the growth and spread of contagious germs I preferablyremove a certain amount of air from the box to form a partial vacuumtherein. This is accomplished by providing an outlet valve 38 of anyapproved type and attaching the hose (not shown) of a vacuum pump (notshown) thereto for thel purpose. The valve is constructed on the orderof a check valve which permits the exit of air but not the admissionthereof.

A vacuum gauge 39 is rovided for the purpose of determining t e vacuumressure within the body receiving box. his vacuum gauge when in use issupported by a suitable pet cock 39 of any approvedtype. This pet cockincludes the usual operating handle 40 which opens communication betweenthe vacuum gauge and the interior of the body receiving box. A secondvalve is provided for testing the air tight condition of the box. Thissecond valve is indicated at 38 Fig. 2, and likewise is of any ag`proved type. One method of testing of t e air ti ht condition of the boxis accomplishe by connecting an air pump (not shown) to the valvestructure 38 and Submerging the body receiving box in a tank of waterdurin the operation of the air pump. If bubb es appear it is evidentthat the box is not comp etely air tight.

The construction of the vacuum gau e as well as the valve structures hasnot gbeen included in the description of the invention as well as valvefor the sole purpose that neither the valve structures nor the vacuumgauge constitute the essence of the present invention as it is apparentthat any approved vacuum gauge structures can be used to serve thepurpose.

It is known that in most States of the Union the body of a person whohas died of a contagious disease cannot be placed in an open casket ofthe ordinary construction for obvious reasons. Therefore it is an objectof the'present invention, as is evident member,

from the description herein, to provide a casketwhich includes an airsealed body receiving box for receiving the body of a person who hasdied of a contagious disease to permit unobstructed observation of thehead portion of the body. It is also pointed out that the casketembodying the invention is one which can be used for shi ping the bodyof a person a considerable stance. Thls is accomplished by reason lofthe fact that the body is preserved because of the air tight conditionof the body receiving box. In use the cover section 15 is preferablyclosed to obstruct observation of the foot portion of the body includingthe valve structures and the pet cock 39 and as the cover section 16 ispreferably open it is intended that a suitable trimming 35 be providedto hide the rough finish of the body receiving box.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carryin my invention into effect, this is capable ovariations and modification without de artiug from the spirit of theinvention. I t erefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsof construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of' suchvariations and modi fcations as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention havin been set forth, what I claim as newand useul is:

1. The combination with a casket shell, of sectional coversfor theshell, a vacuum body receiving box confined in the casket shell, saidbox including at its head portion a sight opening, and a closure framefor the sight opening, said frame including supporting seats defined bywall portions of the box, transparent sheet compressble gaskets disposedon opposite sides along the peripheral edges of the transparent sheet, acap ring having inturned anges disposed over one of the gaskets, and asealing material between the other of the gaskets and the supportingseats.

2. An air sealed' body receiving box including wall portions providingseats defining a sight opening a compressble member upon the seat,sealing material between the member and the seat, a transparent memberhaving edge portions resting u on the a compressble member disposedabove the transparent member along the edge ortions thereof, a cap ringhaving inturne flanges disposed above the second mentioned compressblemember,'and clam ing members for clamping said cap ring 1n position toseal the transparent member between the cap ring and t e seats.

3. The combination with a casket shell, of a cover therefor includingindividual sections, a vacuum body receiving box confined in the casketshell, said box including at its head portion a sight opening and havingits top wall at its foot portion arranged below the sight opening, avalve structure carried by said top Wall and in communication with theinterior of the box and adapted for con- I nection with the hose of avacuum indicating mechanism carried by the top wall and in communicationwith the interior of the box,

one of said sections of the cover concealing the sight openin when inclosed position and the other of t e sectional covers conceal 10 ingwhen in closed position the valve structure and vacuum indicatingmechanism.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my si nature.

ALFRED H. NIEME R.

